The circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ were these. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they were united in marriage, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

"Mark! The maiden will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel" --a word which signifies 'God with us'.

"At Bethlehem in Judaea," they replied; "for so it stands written in the words of the Prophet,

After hearing what the king said, they went to Bethlehem, while, strange to say, the star they had seen in the east led them on until it came and stood over the place where the babe was.

When they saw the star, the sight filled them with intense joy.

So they entered the house; and when they saw the babe with His mother Mary, they prostrated themselves and did Him homage, and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to Him--gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

But being forbidden by God in a dream to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by a different route.

When they were gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise: take the babe and His mother and escape to Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word. For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him."

and said, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, "'To His angels He will give orders concerning thee, and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any moment thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

And walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee He saw two brothers--Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew--throwing a drag-net into the Lake; for they were fishers.

So they immediately left their nets and followed Him. As He went further on,

And they at once left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Thus His fame spread through all Syria; and they brought all the sick to Him, the people who were suffering from various diseases and pains--demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He cured them.

"Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they as heirs shall obtain possession of the earth.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be completely satisfied.

"Blessed are the compassionate, for they shall receive compassion.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for it is they who will be recognized as sons of God.

"Blessed are you when they have insulted and persecuted you, and have said every cruel thing about you falsely for my sake.

Just so let your light shine before all men, in order that they may see your holy lives and may give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

When you give in charity, never blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets in order that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

"And when praying, you must not be like the hypocrites. They are fond of standing and praying in the synagogues or at the corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

"And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their multitude of words.

"When any of you fast, never assume gloomy looks as the hypocrites do; for they disfigure their faces in order that it may be evident to men that they are fasting. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

Look at the birds which fly in the air: they do not sow or reap or store up in barns, but your Heavenly Father feeds them: are not you of much greater value than they?

And why be anxious about clothing? Learn a lesson from the wild lilies. Watch their growth. They neither toil nor spin,

"Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls to the swine; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and then turn and attack you.

"Beware of the false teachers--men who come to you in sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they are ravenous wolves.

So they came and woke Him, crying, "Master, save us, we are drowning!"

On His arrival at the other side, in the country of the Gadarenes, there met Him two men possessed by demons, coming from among the tombs: they were so dangerously fierce that no one was able to pass that way.

They cried aloud, "What hast Thou to do with us, Thou Son of God? Hast Thou come here to torment us before the time?"

So the demons entreated Him. "If Thou drivest us out," they said, "send us into the herd of swine."

"Go," He replied. Then they came out from the men and went into the swine, whereupon the entire herd instantly rushed down the cliff into the Lake and perished in the water.

So at once the whole population came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they besought Him to leave their country.

Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, my child; your sins are pardoned."

And the crowds were awe-struck when they saw it, and ascribed the glory to God who had entrusted such power to a man.

The Pharisees noticed this, and they inquired of His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved."

and He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.

And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, Sir," they replied.

But they went out and published His fame in all that district.

And as they were leaving His presence a dumb demoniac was brought to Him.

And when He saw the crowds He was touched with pity for them, because they were distressed and were fainting on the ground like sheep which have no shepherd.

But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues;

But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say;

Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants?

"'We have played the flute to you,' they say, 'and you have not danced: we have sung dirges, and you have not beaten your breasts.'

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they exclaim, 'See this man! --given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

Then began He to upbraid the towns where most of His mighty works had been done--because they had not repented.

"Alas for thee, Chorazin!" He cried. "Alas for thee, Bethsaida! For had the mighty works been done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in both of you, they would long ere now have repented, covered with sackcloth and ashes.

where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. And they questioned Him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?" Their intention was to bring a charge against Him.

But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.

And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges.

This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness.

But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.

"Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here.

Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."

I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.

For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.'

"But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;

and these they will throw into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.

When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and collect the good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away.

"Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.

And He came into His own country and proceeded to teach in their synagogue, so that they were filled with astonishment and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom, and these wondrous powers?

And his sisters--are they not all living here among us? Where then did he get all this?"

So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family."

And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.

"They need not go away," replied Jesus; "you yourselves must give them something to eat."

"We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and a couple of fish."

So all ate, and were fully satisfied. The broken portions that remained over they gathered up, filling twelve baskets.

When the disciples saw Him walking on the waves, they were greatly alarmed. "It is a spirit," they exclaimed, and they cried out with terror.

So they climbed into the boat, and the wind lulled;

When they had quite crossed over, they put ashore at Gennesaret;

and the men of the place, recognizing Him, sent word into all the country round. So they brought all the sick to Him,

and they entreated Him that they might but touch the tassel of His outer garment; and all who did so were restored to perfect health.

but it is in vain they worship Me, while they lay down precepts which are mere human rules.'"

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words?"

Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind; and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into some pit."

Soon great crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or dumb, and many besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet. And He cured them,

so that the people were amazed to see the dumb speaking, the maimed with their hands perfect, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they gave the glory to the God of Israel.

But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with me and they have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they should faint on the road."

"How many loaves have you?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they said, "and a few small fish."

and He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks He broke them up and then distributed them to the disciples, and they to the people.

And they all ate and were satisfied. The broken portions that remained over they took up--seven full hampers.

Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him; and, to make trial of Him, they asked Him to show them a sign in the sky.

When the disciples arrived at the other side of the Lake, they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread;

they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have not brought any bread."

Then they perceived that He had not warned them against bread-yeast, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

"Some say John the Baptist," they replied; "others Elijah; others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets."

I solemnly tell you that some of those who are standing here will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom."

So they looked up, and saw no one but Jesus.

As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command upon them. "Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."

But I tell you that he has already come, and they did not recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose. And before long the Son of Man will be treated by them in a similar way."

When they had returned to the people, there came to Him a man who fell on his knees before Him and besought Him.

I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not been able to cure him."